By News Staff
11/2/23
A celebrated Miami artist has been selected to update the gateway into Jacksonville Beach. The Community Redevelopment Agency Monday unanimously approved the recommendation of the city’s Public Art Committee to move forward with Xavier Cortada to install an original work at the corner of Beach Boulevard and 2nd Street.
The sculpture will be designed to reflect the unique coastal characteristics of Jacksonville Beach. By incorporating elements inspired by the beach’s natural beauty, such as waves and marine life, the artwork will pay homage to the main attraction of the area.
Framed in mosaic, the vibrant ceramic tiles, with their intricate designs and coastal colour palette, will further evoke a sense of place and capture the essence of the beach town.
The committee reviewed more than 80 applications from artists vying to create a piece, with seven invited to complete a staff interview. After narrowing the finalists to the top three, the committee unanimously voted in Favor of Cortada. The proposed cost of the sculpture is $150,000, which is included in the FY2024 Art Master Plan capital improvement project budget.
“The arts committee took their time and did their due diligence on evaluating candidates. From that entire process, they are seeking approval of the Xavier Cortada. He is with the University of Miami as a professor of art. He is also a legal professor, and he sits on the board of pediatrics’. He is quite the impressive guy, and he is a fascinating guy to talk to,” said CRA Director Taylor Mobbs.
“What he is presenting is some type of column structure that is going to represent the very sea-like elements. He has even taken into account the way the sun hits the site and where the angles of the shadows will be. He has done a ton of public art across the country. He really enjoys sourcing locally. He may do certain things from his studio, but he really likes to come into the community and source locally.” Over the past three decades, the Cuban-American artist has created art across six continents, including more than 150 public artworks, installations, collaborative murals and socially-engaged projects. Cortada has been commissioned to create art for the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), the White House, the Port Everglades and Miami City Hall, among other art, science and government venues.
Cortada pioneered eco-art in Miami-Dade County and is the only artist to create work at the North and South Poles. His community-driven art has catalysed over 25 acres of ecological restoration, generated participatory eco-art projects in every Miami-Dade County public school and library, and celebrated scientific breakthroughs such as the discovery of the “God particle” at CERN.
According to Cortada, the installation will help raise environmental awareness, and serve as a reminder of the vital importance of preserving and protecting the natural resources unique to Jacksonville Beach. Through its design, symbolism and possible interactive elements, the installation serves as a reminder of the importance of preserving the coastal ecosystem and fosters a sense of responsibility towards the environment.
The proposed installation features a series of concrete columns of hand-crafted ceramic tiles centered on the city’s proximity to the beach while elevating the beauty and significance of water within the coastal ecosystem.
“Water Columns: Celebrating Jacksonville Beach and Generating Environmental Awareness” will feature seven columns installed at varying heights from three feet to nine feet arranged in the form of a spiral. Each 32″ x 18″ water column is hand carved, hand-painted ceramic tile, and framed in a glass mosaic. Seven different glass mosaic patterns will frame each of the seven water columns to create a gradient of blue hues to reflect the various tidal zones emanating from the water’s edge.
Each column represents a different aspect of water, such as its power, tranquility, or ever-changing nature, highlighting the multifaceted role of water in the coastal ecosystem.
The sculpture can also incorporate educational elements, such as plaques or interactive displays, to provide information on local water related environmental issues, such as coastal erosion, sea-level rise or marine biodiversity conservation.
“This is material that he has used all over in plenty of beach communities before, so he is very sure working against the elements, the population, and wear and tear,” said Mobbs. “He understands that things have the potential to get damaged. People will have the tendency to want to touch it and want to climb on it.” The initial design phase will include community engagement to discuss vision, themes and objectives.
Preliminary design concepts, including seating, lighting and landscaping, will be presented for feedback prior to selecting a contractor.
During the four-month fabrication phase, tiles and other materials will be procured, and fabrication will begin based on the approved designs. The ceramic murals and mosaics will be transported to Jacksonville Beach for installation, and the murals will be unveiled during a community event.
“He hopes to really capture the essence of Jacksonville Beach,” said Mobbs. “One of the things Cortada said over and over again, before it’s all finalized, he wants to come up here and meet with the art committee, the CRA, and staff and really wants to customize this piece to the community as best as possible.
It will stand out against whatever comes in behind it.”
See original article at https://www.beachesleader.com/news/miami-artist-will-provide-art-jacksonville-beach